Nutrients of baby's diet

Nutrients of baby's diet

What are essential fatty acids?

Essential fatty acids are lipids that the body cannot produce and that must be provided by food. The two main essential fatty acids are linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. Both are important for your baby's cerebral development. That’s why they are present in infant milk formulas.

Prebiotics are specific carbohydrates used by the gut microflora as food. They improve the growth of good bacteria that are naturally present in baby’s digestive system. These specific carbohydrates are naturally provided by breast milk, especially GOS (Galacto-Oligo-Saccharides). Many scientific trials have attributed them as a digestibility improvement effect. They are also present in adult food and well known under the name of fibers.

What are nucleotides ?

Nucleotides are energy-less nutrients that are naturally present in breast milk. They are part of the cells multiplication process, and therefore are important for baby's growth. Some scientific trials have also attributed them as playing a role in the enhancement of the immune system.

What are taurine and carnitine?

Taurine and Carnitine are amino acids (protein components) that your adult organism produces. The human body is able to synthesize these amino acids in adults but unable to in the early years. Therefore, taurine and carnitine must be introduced through food. Both of them have an essential role in fat metabolism, for example, taurine is involved in fat absorption and carnitine facilitates the intracellular long chain fatty acid transport.

What are maltodextrins, glucose syrup, starch, lactose?

All these elements are part of the carbohydrate family (=sugars).Lactose is the natural sugar present in milk (either in breast milk or cow's milk). Infant formulas contain other sugars like glucose, maltodextrin, starch, etc. for their specific nutritional and physical properties. Then, the carbohydrate profile of each formula is optimised by scientists for each type of milk. For example, maltodextrin and starch can influence the satiety effect and lactose enhances mineral absorption.

What is lecithin?

Lecithin is a naturally-occurring fat (phospholipids) found in cells. It is a great source of choline, which is essential in the functioning of cells and for brain development.

What is casein?

There are two kinds of proteins in milk: casein (insoluble) and lactalbumins protein(whey protein). The ratio of casein to whey protein is about 40/60 in breast milk whereas it is 80/20 in cow's milk. With their physical and nutritional properties being different, this ratio may change in infant milk depending on the child's needs.